Spring coiling and assembling



Feb. 27, 1951 J. KLUDT ET AL SPRING COILING AND ASSEMBLING 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 15, 1948 FIGZ.

lll ii;lllllfli mull-mm 'Ill Feb. 27, 1951 KLUDT ET AL 7 2,543,370

SPRING COILING AND ASSEMBLING Filed March 15, 1948 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb. 27, 1951 J. KLUDT ETAL 2,543,370

SPRING COILING AND ASSEMBLING Filed March 15, 1948 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG.8. m

&

i atented Feb. 27,1951

SPRING COILING AND ASSEMBLING Jonathan Kludt, Overland, and Howard Parks, St. Louis, Mo., assignors to Lincoln Engineering Company, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application March 15, 1948, Serial No. 14,954

8 Claims. 1

This invention relates to spring coiling and assembling, and more particularly to methods of and apparatus for continuous-production. coiling of springs and assembly thereof with other elements.

Among the several objects of the invention may be noted the provision of improvements in methods of and apparatus for coiling wire into springs and assembling the springs with spring-receiving parts such as the bodies of lubrication fittings; the provision of a method and an apparatus of the class described adapted for simplified, more positive and direct assembly of the springs with the fittings than heretofore accomplished; the provision in apparatus of the class described of a spring coiler which may be readily removed and replaced; the provision in apparatus of this class of an improved spring coiler, parts of which are readily accessible for adjustment and repair; and the provision of a spring coiler of simplified, economical construction, which may be readily initially adjusted to determine the characteristics of springs produced, and which accurately holds its adjust-,- ments for long periods of production. Other objects will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the elements and combinations of elements; steps and sequence of steps, features of construction and manipulation, and arrangements of parts which will be exemplified in the structures and methods hereinafter described, and the scope "of the application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which one of various possible embodiments of the invention is illustrated,

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of the apparatus of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail section taken on line 3--3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a section taken substantially on line 44 of Fig. 2 on a reduced scale;

Fig. 5 is a detail section taken on line 5--5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view of Fig. 4, parts being broken away;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged view in side elevation of the spring coiler per se of the apparatus as viewed in Fig. 1, parts being broken away and shown in section;

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the spring coiler of Fig. 7, parts being broken away;

Fig. 9 is a section taken on line 9-9 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 10 is a bottom plan view of the spring coiler of Fig. 7 showing in dotted lines a mechanism for actuating a coiling point;

iii)

Fig. 11 is an enlarged section taken substantially on line II--ll of Fig. 1;

Fig. 12 is an enlarged fragmentary bottom plan view of the spring coiler (similar to Fig. 10) but illustrating certain parts in diiierent positions and showing in dotted line mechanism for actuating a wire cutter;

Fig. 13 is a section taken on line |3-|3 of Fig. 8;

Fig. 14 is an enlarged section taken on line l4-I4 of Fig. 12;

Fig. 15 is a section taken on line I 5-l 5 of Fig. 10;

Fig. 16 is an enlarged section taken on line l'6-l6 of Fig. 15;

Fig. 17 is a section taken on line ll-l'l of Fig. 8;

Fig. 18 is an enlarged section taken on line |8l8 of Fig. 12;

Fig. 19 is a section taken on line I9--l9 of Fig. 18;

Fig. 20 is a section taken on line 20-20 of Fig. 10; and,

Fig. 21 is a section taken on line 2l2l of Fig. 12.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

This invention is particularly adapted for the manufacture of lubricant-receiving fittings similar to the type shown in U. S. Patent 2,400,817. Fig. 3 herein illustrates such a fitting in an intermediate stage of manufacture which is the end result of the operations of the method and apparatus of this invention. As illustrated, the fitting at this stage comprises a hollow body or blank I formed to have a screw-threaded portion 3 having a hexagonal head 5 for application of a wrench, and a nipple 1 extending from the head 5. The nipple I has a collar 9 for cooperation with a coupler on the end of a lubricant hose, and terminates in a hemispherical head ll having a lubricant inlet opening l3. The blank has a passage |5 therethrough from one end to the other. This passage may be reduced in diameter in nipple 'l and has a tapered valve seat portion l1 leading from inlet opening l3. A ball check valve member I9 is seated against the seat 11. In passage I5 is a generally conical and helical spring 2|. The smaller end of the spring engages the ball l9. The end of the threaded portion 3 has an extension 23 adapted to be spun over after the spring has been compressed to form an internal flange or shoulder providing a seat for the larger end of the spring (see said Patent 2,400,817)

This invention relates particularly to a method of and apparatus for forming springs 2| and delivering them into place in passages I5 of the blanks I (after the balls l9 have been seated) in a continuous operation. It will be understood,

however, that the invention is not limited in application to the production of the particular fitting illustrated, but is generally applicable for spring forming and assembling purposes.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 1-4, the apparatus of this invention is shown generally to comprise a wo k-holding conveyor 25 for intermittently moving blanks l as work pieces into position for receiving springs formed by a spring coiler 2's. The conveyor is herein illustrated as a circular turntable 29 mounted on the upper end of a vertical shaft 3! (Fig. l) journalled in the table 33 of the supporting frame of the apparatus. On the turntable adjacent its periphery is a circular series of work holders 35 for holding blanks or work pieces i, the holders being spaced at equal angular intervals. Each holder comprises a block 3'! fitted in an aperture in the turntable and having a vertical upwardly opening socket 39 adapted to receive a blank i in upright position with the hexagonal head of the blank resting on a shoulder .2 in the socket and with the threaded portion 3 of blank extending upward out of the socket.

Spring coiler 2': has a frame comprising a pair of spaced mechanism-supporting plates ll and 43 connected by spacing posts 55. The coiler normally occupies the operative position shown in solid lines in Fig. 1 wherein the plates are horizontal, with plate il lowermost and spaced above the table 33, and with the coiler extending generally radially of the turntable 29 and having its radially inner end overhanging the turntable. The coiler may be swung upward and outward away from its operative position to the retracted position illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 1, being pivoted for such movement by means of a pair of arms extending outward from the radially outer end of the lot-er plate 4| and pivoted at their free ends on a horizontal shaft 59. The latter is removably mounted in a pair of blocks 5| fixed on the table 33. Swinging movement of the coiler is limited to determine its operative position by shoulders 53 (Fig. 11) on a pair of posts 55 extending vertically from table 33 adjacent the periphery of turntable 29. In the operative position of the coiler, the lower plate rests on the shoulders and is confined laterally by the posts.

Fixed in the overhanging portion of the lower plate 4! of the spring coiler is a cylindrical tool The lower end of the collet is split and has a i tapered head 63 fitting in the countersunk lower end 85 or aperture 59. Head 63 extends somewhat below the lower end of the holder. The upper end of collet 6! extends out of the tool holder and has a nut 61 threaded thereon. Clamped in the split lower end of the collet is a fiat-sided arbor pin 69. This pin projects downward out of the collet and its projecting end forms an arbor around which wire W is coiled to form springs. The pin 69 may be readily removed by backing oil nut to relieve the clamping action on the pin within the split tapered head 63 of the collet and withdrawing it, and a new pin readily inserted when necessary. The spring coiler is so located when in operative position that the arbor 69 is at substantially the same radius with respect to turntable 29 as the centers of the sockets of the work holders.

Generally, the spring coiler 27 comprises a pair of wire feeding rolls ii and i3 (Figs. 10 and .by straps 9i secured to the table.

for feeding wire W from a continuous supply (not shown) past the arbor 69 against a coiling point 75, which causes the wire to coil around the arbor in convolutions having a diameter determined by the distance from the coiling point to the arbor. As the convolutions are formed, they are caused to become axially spaced from one another by a pitch tool '51. This tool is arranged to cause the convolutions to spin out below the arbor as they are formed so that when a spring is fully formed it extends vertically, depending from the remainder of the wire below the arbor 11). When a spring has been fully coiled, a wire cutter l9 severs the spring from the remainder of the wire and the spring drops oil by gravity.

The apparatus includes suitable indexing mechanism, illustrated in Figs. 46, for indexing the turntable 29 around in counterclockwise direction as viewed from above intermittently and successively to present blanks I in work holders 35 below and substantially centered with the coiling arbor 69. As illustrated, the turntable shaft 3! has an indexing ratchet disc Bl fixed thereon below the table 33. The periphery of this disc has a number of ratchet teeth and notches corresponding in number and angular spacing to the work holders 35 on the turntable. The disc is adapted intermittently to be indexed through an arcuate interval of one tooth by means of a reciprocating pawl 83. The latter is pivoted at 35 on the bottom of a slide 8': which is reciprocable in a groove 89 in the bottom of table The slide is retained in the groove 89 Fawl 83 is biased toward the ratchet disc 8! by a spring 93 which reacts from a spring seat $5 fixed on the bottom of the slide.

The slide 3'! is constantly reciprocated by means of an eccentric mechanism 9! (Fig. 5) from a continuously driven main drive shaft 99 for the apparatus. Drive shaft 95 is journalled in bearings it! under the table 33 and extends diametrically with respect to turntable 29 and ratchet disc 8!. Mechanism 9'! includes an eccentric disc iii3 fixed on shaft 99 and rotary within a circular strap I85. The latter is linked to the slide by a pair of adjustable links it": and M9, pivoted to the strap at ill and H3, respectively, and both pivoted to the slide at 1 iii. The throw of the eccentric disc N13 is such as to cause reciprocation of slide 81 and pawl 83 through a distance for indexing the ratchet disc 8| one tooth upon each revolution of the shaft 99 and eachreciprocation of the slide. Indexing of the dis'c'occurs upon forward movement of the slide 81 and pawl 83, which is toward the bottom of the drawing as viewed in Fig. 6.

A check pawl ili is pivoted at H9 on the bottom of table 33 and is engageable in a notch in the ratchet disc {ii to prevent rotation of the disc and turntable 29 in forward direction except during the indexing operation. pawl ill is biased toward the ratchet disc by a spring i2i reacting from a spring seat i23 fixed to the bottom of the table 33. On the bottom of the slide 8? is a check pawl actuator comprising a screw 25 adjustably threaded in a block i2l. Screw i25 is adjusted so that its end engages check pawl iii as slide 81 moves rearward, lift ing it away from the ratchet disc ill to permit pawl 83 to index the ratchet disc forward when the slide moves forward. A third pawl I29 is pivoted at i3! on the bottom of the table 33 and engages in a notch of the ratchet disc to prevent reverse rotation of the disc and turntable 29.

Pawl I 29 is biased toward the disc by a spring I33 reacting from a spring seat I35 fixed to the bottom of the table 33.

' The main drive shaft has a worm gear I 31 fixed thereon. Meshing with the worm gear is a worm I39 fixed on a shaft I4I which is continuously driven by a motor (not shown). Upon each revolution of the main drive shaft I4I, the slide 81 is reoiprocated through a full stroke to index the ratchet disc 8| and turntable 29 through one step successively and intermittently to position work holders 35 under the arbor 69 of the spring coiler 21.

A vertical shaft I43 is journalled in table 33 under the spring coiler 21 with its axis intersecting the axis of main drive shaft 99 outward of the periphery of turntable 29. A bevel gear I45 on the lower end of shaft I43 meshes with a bevel gear I41 on shaft 99 whereby shaft I43 is continuously driven. On the upper end of shaft I43 above table 33 is fixed a clutch or coupling member I49 having an off-center trans verse slot II in its upper face. Journalled in the plates 4! and 43 of the spring coiler 21 is a spring coiler drive and cam shaft I53 axially aligned with shaft I43 when the spring coiler is in its operative position. Fixed on the lower end of shaft I53 is a crown clutch or coupling member I55 having an off-center key I51 en gageable in the slot I5I in member I49. Members I49 and I55 constitute a clutch for coupling shaft I43 to shaft I53 when the spring coiler is in operative position. When the spring coiler is swung away to its retracted position, the members I49 and I55 disengage and the drive for shaft I53 is discontinued to stop the operation of the spring coiler.

The shaft I53 extends through the upper plate 43 of the spring coiler 21 (Figs. 8 and 13), and has a crank disc I59 on its upper end. Crank disc I59 is an element of an intermittent, unidirectional rack and pinion mechanism, generally designated I69, for intermittently rotating the wire feed rolls 1I and 13 to feed forward a length of wire W to be coiled into a spring 2|. Fixed on shaft I53 between plates M and 43 are three cams I5I, I63 and I65 (Figs. 7 and 9) for actuating the coiling point 15, the pitch tool 11 and the Wire cutter 19, respectively.

The wire feed rolls 1| and 13 are fixed on the lower ends of vertical shafts I51 and I69, respectively, below the lower plate M. The pass plane of the rolls extends substantially tangential to the coiling arbor 69. Each roll has a peripheral groove Ill for confining the wire against lateral movement. The shaft I61 for roll 1! is journalled in fixed bearings I 13 in the plates M and 43. The shaft I59 for roll 13 is journalled in a sliding bearing I15 in plate II and in a rocking bearing I11 in plate 43 (Fig. 8). Bearing I15 is biased toward shaft I51 by a leaf spring I19 (Fig. 20) so as to bias feed roll 13 toward feed roll H to apply pressure on the wire. The wire is guided to enter the grooves in the feed rolls by a wire guide I8I fixed on lower plate M (Fig. Wire emerging from between the feed rolls is guided by a wire guide I83 fixed on plate 4| to travel past one side of the arbor 99 and into engagement with the end of coiling point 15. Buckling of the length of wire extending from the exit of guide I33 to the coiling point is prevented by a wire guide I85 mounted on lower plate 4| for adjustment toward and away from the arbor 59 in a direction normal to the path of the wire. Guide I85 is mounted for such adjustment by means of counterclockwise direction.

'6 set screws I81 extending through an elongate slot I89 in the guide and threaded in plate 4|.

The feed roll shafts I51 and I69 are coupled by gears I IN and I93 (Fig. 9) adjacent the inside face of upper plate 43 and are intermittently driven to advance a length of wire W toward the arbor 99 and coiling point 15 by means of the rack and pinion mechanism I 69. This mechanism includes a countershaft I95 (Figs. 8 and 17) journalled at I91 and I99 in lower plate M and upper plate 43, respectively. The countershaft I95 has a gear 2III fixed thereon and meshing with gear I9I on feed roll shaft I61. It extends above the upper plate 43 through a rack and pinion housing 203. A pinion 295 (Figs. 8 and 17) is rotary on the countershaft I95 within housing 293. The pinion is keyed to a ratchet housing 291, also rotary on the countershaft, and which encloses a ratchet 299 keyed on the upper end of the countershaft. Ratchet 209 is an element of a one-way clutch mechanism providing for intermittent and unidirectional rotation of the countershaft.

The ratchet housing 291 comprises a cupshaped. member 219 which surrounds the countershaft I95 above the rack and pinion housing 293. A cover 2 I I for housing 291 is held in place by a spring 2 I3 reacting from a nut 2I5 threaded on the end of the countershaft. A pivot pin 2I'I extends from the cover 2 I I into the housing 291. Pivoted on this pin is a pawl 2I9 biased toward the ratchet 299 by a spring 22I reacting from the rim 223 of the housing 291 and retained in place by a pin 225 extending from cover 2! I. The pawl 2I9 has a tail 221 which fits in a notch in rim 223.

The rack and pinion housing 293 has a tangential guide 229 for a rack 23I which meshes at one end with pinion 295 within the housing. The rack extends out of the housing and is pivoted at its other end to a crank pin 233 radially adjustable on the crank disc I59. As illustrated in Fig. 13, crank pin 233 extends upward from a nut 235 mounted for non-rotary sliding movement in a radial slot 231 in the crank disc. An adjusting screw 239 extends radially through the wall of the crank disc into the slot and is threaded in the nut. The screw is rotary in the crank disc and is confined against axial movement by its head 24! and a collar 243 pinned on the screw. The arrangement is such that the radius of the crank pin 233 may be varied to vary the throw of the rack 23I by turning screw 239 radially to move the nut 235.

Shaft I53 and crank disc I59 rotate continuously throughout the operation of the apparatus. This causes rack 23I to oscillate and reciprocate continuously and alternately to rotate pinion 295 in opposite directions. The rack and pinion housing 293 is rotary, thus permitting oscillation of the rack. Upon rotation of pinion 295 in counterclockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 8 during the forward portion of the stroke of rack 23I, the housing 291 rotates in counterclockwise direction and its rim Z23 rotates through a small arc relative to its cover ZII to act against the tail 221 of pawl 2I9 thereby to pivot the pawl into engagement with ratchet 209.. The pawl thereupon drives the ratchet 299 and countershaft I95 in Rotation of the countershaft is transmitted through gears 29!, I91 and I93 to drive the feed roll shafts I51 and IE9 and feed rolls II and 13 in wire-feeding direction. Upon rotation of pinion 295 in clockwise direction during the return portion of the clockwise direction and its rim through a small are relative to cover against the tail of pawl H3 thereby to pawl out of engagement with ratchet 2 5;.-

a the bias of spring 22f. Thus, the countershaft M55 is rotated intermittently end face of the coiling point t e The coiling point is adjustably in 2%? (Figs. '7, 1G, 12, 14 and 21) n plane of the feed rolls. Holder block having its side margins ta find. within rec lower plate 42 of the spring co has a projecting portion i and a resiliently inov Member 26: and jaw 253 are gr cated at 265 to rec ive the co-. clamping screw 26? (Fig. 14) extends through clamp jaw 63 and is threaded "1 the n- 261i to draw these elements toge coiling point in plac An adiu 1g scrwv 239 extends through the rear of projection 255 with its head in engagement with the rear end of the coiling point '35 for making accurate initial adber justrnents of the position of the l adapted automatically to be met away from the arbor by the co it! through a linkage including a c lever til (Figs. 7, 9 and 10). Cain itl cam shaft IE3 adjacent lower plate e-oilcwer lever 27! is pivoted intermediate its ends on a er pin 2'53 extending vertically upwar plate li. At one end it has a c. 235 engaging the periphery of biased against the cam by a spring s between the lever and a spring post lower plate li. At its other end it has a 28 which extends through an aperture 283 in lower plate t into a transverse groove 385 l the coiling point holder. Journallecl on the end of ing member 28'? having a slidii Shaft i5 is continuously point cam Hit conseq As the can: rote. rock about pivot pin counterclockwise as vie red in Fig. 10, it moves As it the coiling point i5 away from arbor G9. rocks clockwise, it moves the ceiling point the arbor. The periphery of the cam Pl so shaped and the cam is so phased with i the operation of the feed rolls El and 2'3 as to cause the coiling point '55 gradually to move away from an initial position (Fig. 10) closest to the arbor during the cycle of op ation of the feed rolls, then to cause the coiling point to return to its initial position ready for forming the next spring. In the initial position of the coiling point, its forward end is sp ced from the arbor a distance corresponding to the diameter of the smallest coil of conical spring 2|. As it moves away from the arbor, the diameter of the successive coils of the spring into which the wire is bent gradually increases, thus imparting the conical shape to the spring. This occurs during the interval in which shaft IP2- and cam liil rotate through a half revolution and in which rack 23 i is making a forward stroke to drive he wire feed rolls 7i and The ceiling point is returned to initial position after the completion of the spring.

The pitch tool El comprises a rod 29! (Figs. 15 and 16) which is mounted for axial sliding movement in bore 2.93 in tool holder 5?. At its lower end below the tool holder it has a lug 295 at right angles to its axis extending to ard the arbor and spaced from the end of the v. lre guide 85. The outer or lower face of the lug adjacent the arbor is rounded or beveled, as indicated at 291, to provide a cam or wedge surface for deflecting the wire after any coil or convolution of the spring has been started to cause it to become axially from the next successively formed coil or convolution. This deflecting surface 29'! is shaped to cause the convoluticns of the spring to spin out downward belo' the arbor. The pitch of the convolutions of the spring is determined by the axial or vertical spacing" of the groove in the forward end face of ti e coiling point 75 and the deflectingsurface 291. To increase the pitch of the convolutions, the deflecting surface is moved further below the groove, and vice versa.

As herein illustrated, the first few convolutions of a spring 2! at its small end and the last few convoluticns at its large end are to be closely spaced, the intermediate convolutions being widely spaced. To provide for forming such a spring, the pitch tool 1 is automatically moved during the spring-forming operation to vary the pitch of the convoluticns by the pitch tool through a linkage including a cam foliccci lever 2299 (Figs. 7 and 9). Cam 53, a. cylindrical cam, is fixed on cam shaft 53 intermediate plates it and E3. 29) is pivoted intermediate its ends for rocking movement in a vertical plane on a horizontal pin Sill mounted bracket 8)? fixed on the inside face of the upper plate ,3. At one end of the lever is a follower roller biased into engagement with cam I by a spring so! connected between the lever and a hook 369 fixed in lower plate ll. The other end of the lever 299 is linked to the pitch tool rod 25: by an adjustable coupling link St I.

Cam 33 is continuously driven. As it rotates it causes follower lever 299 to rock about pivot pin 39!. When lever 72% rocks clockwise as viewed in Fig. 'i, it drives the pitch tool downward. When it rocks counterclockwise, it drii es the pitch tool upward. The cam 553 is so shaped and phased with respect to the operation of the wire feed rol's l5 and as to maintain the pitch tool in an initial raised position, with deflecting surface 25 1' close to the groove in the end of the coiling point, during the formation of the first few closely-spaced convolutions of the Spring 21, then to move the pitch tool downward to increase the pitch of the convoluticns during the formation of the intermediate widely-spaced convolutions, then to return the pit h tool upward to its initial position for forming the last few closelyspaced convolutions of the spring. All this 00- curs during the interval in which shaft 153 and cam 151 rotate through a half revolution and in which rack 231 is making a forward stroke to drive the wire feed rolls '11 and '13. During the remainder of a revolution, the cam 133 and spring 39'! maintain the pitch tool in its initial position, ready for forming the next spring.

The wire cutter '19 comprises a blade 313 having a wire-shearing edge 315. The blade is adjustably fixed in a blade holder 31'1 fixed on the lower end of a rock shaft 319 journalled in a bearing 321 in the lower p ate 41. Blade holder 311 comprises a block having a slit 323 forming a pair of resilient c amping jaws 325 and 32'1 (Fig. 19) at its end adjacent the arbor 39. The jaws are grooved as indicated at 329 to receive the blade 313 with the end of the blade projecting beyond the jaws. A clamping screw 331 extends through jaw 325 and is threaded in jaw 32! to draw the jaws together to clamo the b a e in place. An adjusting screw 333 (Fig. 18) extends through the rear of the blade holder with its head in enga ement wi+h the rear end of the blade for making accura e initial adjustments of the nosition of the latter. The b ade 3 3 is lon itudinallv arh'usted in t e blade holder to posi ion its sh aring ed e 315 for shearwise cooperat on with the flat side of t e arbor 139 when the blade holder is rocked clockwise from its retracted osition of Fig. 10, thereby to cut wire W at the arbor.

The blade ho der 31! carrying blade 313 is adapted automatically to be rocked toward the arbor to cut wire W after a s ring h s been completely coiled, by the cam 165 throu h a linka e com rising a cam follo er lever 335. Cam 1 is fixed on cam shaft 153 be ween cams 191 and 163. Follower e er 335 is fixed at one end to the rock shaft 319 and h s a cam follower 339 at its other end en a ing t e eri hery of the cam. The lever is biased toward the cam by a spring 3 11 c nnected between the lever and the spring post 2'19.

Cam 1 5 rotates continuous y. It has a lobe 342 which. once everv revolution, rocks lever 335 to rock the b ade holder 31'! and blade 313 toward the arbor to cut wire W at the arbor (Fig. 1 This is timed to occur at the com letion of the wire-feedin and spring-forming cycle, so that a. comple ed snring 21 is severed from the remainder of the wire to drop by gravity. A ter t e wire as been cut, the blade ho d r and blade are rocked back to their retracted posi ion of Fi 10.

A s ring 21, severed from the remainder of i the wire bv the cutter. drons into a short fun elshaned snrin guide 343 (F725. '1, 4 and 11). This guide is mounted in one end of a horizontal guide plate fixed on the up e end of a vert cal shaft 34?. The shaft is vertically recinrocable in a bearing 3 19 in the table 33 adjacent the periphery of the turntable 29 with its ax s intersectin the axis of the main drive shaft 99. The guide 343 is located with its axis intersecting the circular center line of the series of work holders 35. A stud 351 extends upward from table 33 through an aperture in the outer end of guide plate 345 to prevent rotation of the shaft 3 1'! andto maintain the funnel guide in alignment. Shaft 34'! has a cam follower roller 353 at its lower end engaging a cam 355 fixed on the main drive shaft 99. The shaft 34'! is biased downward by a spring 35'! reacting from the bottom of table 33 against a pin 359 which forms the shaft for roller 353.

one step to position the work holder under the arbor 69 of the spring coiler (Fig. 11). While the work holder and guide are in this position,

the spring 21, severed from the remainder of the wire, drops through the guide into the passage 15 in the blank 1 in the work holder. The spring 21 is uncompressed and its upper end extendsout of the blank 1. Before the turntable 29 starts to rotate through the next indexing step, cam 355 ra ses the guide 343 above the upper end of the spring 21 in the blank 1 so that the spring does not interfere with rotation of the turntable.

Operation is as follows:

With the spring coiler 21 in its operative position as l ustrated in Fig. l, and with main drive shaft 99 continuously rotating, the spring coiler cam and drive shaft 153 is continuously driven through bevel gears 14? and 145, vertical shaft 133. and clutch members 149 and i523. The turntable 29 is intermittently rotated in counterc ockwi e d rection as viewed in Fig. 2 by the ratchet ng index drive including eccentric mechanism 97, slide 8'! and pawl 83. The stepby-step rotat on of the turntable successively positions work hol ers 35 under the arbor 59 of the spring coiler 2'1. Blanks I are placed in the work holders 35 before the latter travel under the spring coi er. After a blank has been placed in the socket 39 of a work holder with the springreceiving pa sage 15 of the blank opening upward, a ha l 19 is dropped into the passage and seated against the ta ered ba l seat 11.

Dur ng t e interval in which the turntable 29 is be ng indexed through one step to bring a blank 1 into position under the arbor 69 of the spring co ler, the coiler drive shaft 153, acting through the crank disc 159 and crank pin 233, drives the rack 231 through the forward portion of its stroke. This rotates the pinion 295 in the direction to cause rotat on of ratchet 209, countershaft 195. ears 2111. 191 and 193, and feed roll shafts 151 and 159 to drive the wire feed rolls 11 and '13 in wire-feeding d rection. The feed rolls '11 and '13 drive a length of wire forward past arbor 69 again t the grooved forward end 245 of coiling point '15 to cause the wire to coil around the arbor to form the convolutions of a spring.

At the start of the spring-coiling operation, which is initiated as soon as the feed rol s '1! and '13 start to feed the wire, the coling oint 15 is in its initial position of Fig. 10 closest to arbor 69, and the camming surface 29'! of pitch tool 11 is in its initial raised postion for imparting minimum pitch to the convolut ons of the spring to be formed. Consequently, the first few convolutions of the spring as formed are of small diameter and close to one another.

downward to increase the pitch of the convolu- I tions. As above described, movement of the coiling point is determined by cam 161 and move- I As the spring- V forming cycle progresses, the coiling point '15 11 ment of the pitch tool is determined by cam I63. Thus, the spring is formed to be of conical helical type with closely-spaced convolutions at its small end. As tl e spring is formed, it extends downward from the remainder of the wire below the arbor 65, with its axis substantially vertical and its small end lowermost.

Just before the conclusion of the spring-forming cycle, the pitch tool 1'! is retracted to its initial raised position to form the last few convolutions of the spring at its large end in closely spaced re ation. At the conclusion of the cycle, cam I65 operates the wire cutter 19, causing the cutting blade 3H5 to move to the position illustrated in Fig. 12 to shear the wire at the upper end of the spring between the shearing edge 3l5 of the blade and the fiat side of the arbor 69, and then returns he cutter to its retracted position of Fig. 10. Gem l6! returns the coiling point to its initial position. Thus, the coiling point, pitch tool and cutter are returned to their initial positions awaiting the next spring-forming cycle.

The spring 2! is completed and severed from the remainder of the w e just after the turntable 29 has completed an indexing step and has carried a blank i into spriiig-receivin pos "ion under the arbor At this time, the funnel guide 3 2-3 is in lowered position in engagement with the upper end of the blank (Fig. 11). The spring, cut ofi from the remainder of the wire, falls into the funnel guide, small end down, and drops out of the guide into the pas age l5 in the blank. Movement of the spring after severing is along a straight path of minimum length. The lower end of the spring engages the ball !9 in the blank and its upper end extends above the blank a short distance into the funnel guide.

Cam thereupon drives shaft 35? and funnel guide 3 ,3 upward to raise the latter above the upper end of the spring. The turntable 29 is then indexed through another step to position the blank l in the next work hold r 35 under the arbor 69 of the spring coiler. While the turntable is being indexed, another spring 2! is formed in the manner above described. It will be noted that when a spring has been severed from the remainder of the wire, the fresh end of the wire is half coiled around the arbor, thus facilitating the coiling of the next spring. After the turntable has completed its indexing step, the spring is out off and drops into the blank as above described. The indexing and sprii form ng operations are re eat d in a continuous process for utmost rapid ty in as emb ing springs 2| with the blanks I. After the blanks I having springs 25 therein are indexed out from under the spr ng coiler. the springs are compressed and the exten ion 23 of the threaded portion 3 of the blank is spun over to hold the spring compres ed against the ball [9 wit in the blank. In practice, this is accomplished by means of an automatic metal-spinning machine tool. not described herein as it does not form a part of the in ention. Th s completes the lubricant-receiving fittings and the completed fittings are removed from sockets 39 to make way for empty blanks I.

Thus, the invention provide for coiling of springs and their assembly with spring-receiving parts such as the bodies of lubricant-receiving fittin s i in a mo t ehicient. positive and direct manner. The method of forming th s ring in vert cal position and then severing it from the remainder of the wire whereby t e spring drops by gravity a short distance and directly into the part to receive it is highly advantageous as it i2 eliminates any necessity for manual or mechanical operations for inserting the spring and permits a high production rate. Assembly is accomplished by the simple act of severing the spring from the remainder of the wire from which the 5, ring is formed.

The spring coiler 2.? r -r readily swung back to the retracted posit illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. l to obtain access to the parts such as the arbor 69, coiling point 75, cutter [9, guide E etc. 1' adiustnient and repair when necessary. When the coilei swung back, the drive therefor is automl tinned by the dis-- engagement of clutch in nbers i453 and so that there is no dan er o; inadvertent operation of the coiler whi e it .ing ad usted or repaired.

The spring coiler .H- is of such simplified construction that it is econom cally fer, ible to have on hand a number of ccilers having cams of different shapes for prcdu g sprin s of ditlerent characteristics for a v ing fittings. It then a si over from production of 0 t pe of .n other by rel-nor, stant coiler fror-i collar, and replac the entire coiler havs to produce the type of spring desired. The construction of the :oiler is such that it reta' is its adjustm nt for long periods of production despite vibration of the apnaartus and is therefore adapted for high quantity and quality production.

In View of the ll be seen that the several objects of the other advantageous results attained.

many change could be ade in the above constructions and thout departing from the of the tion, it is intended that all matter cont re description or shown in the ace interpreted as illustrative sense.

We claim: 1. The method 0 r ing such cams and so aoins'eo a continug with the the s be" I v moving 11 u w rd ubstantial]: ly under the formed sprin to sever the spring from wire, whereupon cutting the Wi or" the ectly by of lubricant-receiving "ng a body having a a helical spring,

fittings or the type so: passage therein axially the steps of coiling he end portion of a continuous length of wire into a helical spring extending downward from the rena mer of the wire with the axi of the spr .ig subs tially vertical, moving a fitting body into o uion with its springreceiving substantially directly and immediately under the spring and opening upward. and cut ng the wire to sever the spring from the remainder of the wire, whereupon the spring drops directly by gravity into the passage in assembled relation with the fitting body.

3. In the manufacture of lubricant-receiving fittings of the type comprising a body having a lubricant passage therein axially receiving a conical helical spring with the small end of the spring engaging a ball check valve at the end of the passage, comprising the steps of coiling the end portion of a continuous length of wire into a conical helical spring extending downward from the remainder of the wire with the axis of the spring substantially vertical and it small end lowermost, moving a fitting body into position with its spring-receiving passage substantially directly and immediately under the spring and opening upward, after a ball has been placed in the passage, and cutting the wire to sever the spring from the remainder of the wire, whereupon the spring drops directly by gravity small end first into the passage.

4. In the manufacture of lubricant-receiving fittings of the type comprising a body having a lubricant passage therein axially receiving a conical helical spring with the small end of the spring engaging a ball check valve at the end of the passage, the steps of intermittently coiling the end portion of a continuous length of wire into conical helical springs, each spring as coiled extending downward from the remainder of the wire with the axis of the spring substantially vertical and its small end lowermost, moving a fitting body while a spring i being coiled into position with its spring-receivng passage substantially directly and immediately under the spring and opening upward, a ball having been inserted in the passage of the body prior to moving it to said position, and severing each spring from the remainder of the wire whereupon it drops directly by gravity small end first into the passage.

5. Spring forming and assembling apparatus comprising a support, a spring coiler adapted to coil the end portion of a continuous length of wire into a helical spring and having a wire cutter for severing the spring from the remainder of the wire, said coiler being mounted on said support for movement between an operative position wherein it is adapted to coil a spring with the spring extending vertically downward below the bottom of the coiler and a retracted position wherein the bottom of the coiler is readily accessible, and a work conveyor having a series of work holders thereon mounted on the support for movement successively to position work pieces immediately under a spring formed by the coiler in the operative position of the latter.

6. Spring forming and assembling apparatus comprising a support, a spring coiler adapted to coil the end portion of a continuous length of wire into a helical spring and having a wire cutter for severing the spring from the remainder of the wire, said coiler being pivoted on said support for movement between an operativeposition wherein it is adapted to coil a spring with the spring extending vertically downward below the bottom of the coiler and a retracted position wherein the bottom of the coiler is readily accessible, a work conveyor rotary on a vertical axis on the support and having a horizontal circular series of work holders thereon movable successively to position work pieces in the holders immediately under a spring formed by the coiler in the operative position of the latter, and a drive for the spring coiler including a coupling which disengages when the coiler is swung from operative to retracted position.

7. Spring forming and assembling apparatus comprising a spring coiler having a frame, an arbor projecting vertically downward from the frame, a coiling point adjustable on the frame adjacent the arbor, feed roll on the frame for feeding wire past the arbor against the coiling point to coil the wire around the arbor, a pitch tool adjustable on the frame adjacent the arbor for defleeting each coil of the wire downward to form a helical spring extending vertically downward, a wire cutter on the frame movable from a retracted position to sever wire against the arbor, a con tinuously driven coiler drive shaft journalled in the frame, cam-operated mechanisms including cams on the shaft for actuating the coiling point, pitch tool and cutter, a drive actuated by said shaft for intermittently rotating the feed rolls in direction to feed wire against the coiling point, a turntable having a circular series of upwardly opening work-holding sockets mounted for rotation about a substantially vertical axis so as to move the sockets in a substantially horizontal path, the coiler frame being mounted above the turntable with the arbor substantially directly and immediately above the path of the sockets, indexing mechanism for intermittently rotating the turntable through intervals corresponding to the angular spacing of the sockets successively to position the sockets under the arbor, the drive for the feed rolls being correlated with the indexing mechanism to feed a length of wire for springforming purposes during an indexing operation, the cams for the coiling point and pitch tool being phased automatically to adjust the coiling point and pitch tool as a spring is formed to control the diameter and pitch of successive coils of the wire, and the cam for the cutter being phased to actuate the cutter to sever the wire after a spring has been completed and after the completion of an indexing operation of the turntable.

8. Spring forming and assembling apparatus as set forth in claim 7 wherein the spring coiler frame is pivoted for swinging movement about a horizontal axis outward of the turntable, and the apparatus includes a continuously driven main drive shaft for actuating the indexing mechanism and driving the coiler drive shaft, the drive for the coiler drive shaft including a coupling which disengage when the frame is swung away from the turntable.

JONATHAN KLUDT.. HOWARD PARKS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 537,472 Miller Apr. 16, 1895 1,083,501 Lewis Jan. 6, 1914 1,090,401 Lea Mar. 17, 1914 1,266,070 Sleeper May 14, 1918 1,341,477 Marx May 25, 1920 1,370,006 Cook Mar. 1, 1921 1 1,555,067 Metcalf Sept. 29, 1925 1,778,967 Tessmer Oct. 21, 1930 1,803,402 Napier May 5, 1931 1,828,413 Holmes Oct. 30, 1931 1,930,329 Vinar Oct. 10, 1933 1,935,309 Bleuel Nov. 14, 1933 1,948,466 Broecker Feb. 20, 1934 2,007,698 Tear July 9, 1935 2,052,356 Long Aug. 25, 1936 2,161,084 Peterson June 6, 1939 2,175,426 Blount Oct. 10, 1939 2,291,922 Russell Aug. 4, 1942 2,302,057 Ripley Nov. 17, 1942 2,320,452 Allenbaugh June 1, 1943 2,481,593 Hoe Sept. 13, 1949' 

